Hey everyone! I'm transitioning to Linux since I'm not keen on moving to Windows 11. I'm looking for a distro that minimizes frustration and errors. My main priorities are: 1) Stability—something that won't randomly break or cause data loss. 2) Good support for applications, particularly for gaming and programming tools. I've had some experience with Linux during college and through my job as a software engineer, so I'm comfortable with the command line and plan to use a straightforward GUI. I'm considering Debian for its reputed stability and possibly Arch due to its popularity among gamers. What do you all think?
8 Answers
For new users, Linux Mint is a fantastic choice! It's user-friendly and has a great community backing it.
This question comes up a lot! My best advice is to try out a few distros and see what clicks for you. I ended up settling on Fedora after hopping around a bit. Plus, Linus Torvalds himself uses it, so you get to feel a bit like a h4x0r!
Hard to go wrong with Fedora. Honestly, the "right distro" is subjective; you'll probably end up switching a few times anyway. Just steer clear of distros that have a lot of hype around them because of celebrity endorsements. They might not be what you're looking for!
Thanks for the heads up! I'll definitely check out Fedora.
If you're new, Ubuntu LTS is a great option. It has a huge community and plenty of documentation. You can easily find support if you run into issues. Plus, it uses deb packages for easy installs.
If you’re feeling adventurous, Arch has its merits—but it's for the more technically inclined. Just keep in mind that it's a rolling release, so you might encounter more errors unless you're ready to troubleshoot. Maybe try something easier first.
Good point about Arch. I worry about constant upkeep and errors.
Debian is solid for stability, but for most users, any of the mainstream distros should run most apps just fine. Don't obsess over which one to pick; it's all about what fits your use case. Just be cautious about what you choose based on the overhyped 'best' recommendations.
That makes sense! I'll definitely consider the ease of use and community support over just hype.
Check out the distro selection page in the wiki. And remember to back up regularly and test things in a VM. Also, learning about tools like Flatpaks and containers can really help with app compatibility across distros!
If you want a Windows-like experience, Mint or Zorin OS is a great bet. Plus, they both have good support for gaming.
That's exactly what I did! I switched distros almost daily for weeks until I found one I liked.